Where Islam spreads, freedom dies

Two pigs heads and a large pool of blood were found in front of Montauban mosque this morning. Montauban is where Mohamed Merah killed two of his victims.

I can't find any pictures of the pig heads themselves but this photo seems to show the blood. As far as I know, there's no new mosque or mosque extension being planned here so it doesn't look like an attempt to stop a construction project.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith described Wednesday's defilement of the mosque in the town of Montauban as "a racist and xenophobic provocation" and urged the authorities to bring those responsible to justice swiftly.

Pigs are considered unclean by Muslims, who are currently observing the holy month of Ramadan.

France's Union of Jewish Students said it was appalled by an incident that had occurred in a "worrying climate of hatred".

It was the first such incident in the southern Tarn-et-Garonne region, leading to speculation it was a response to the March shooting spree of self-styled Al-Qaeda gunman Mohammed Merah.

Merah killed two paratroopers in Montauban, as well as three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and another soldier in nearby Toulouse before being killed himself in a police siege of his apartment.

The pig heads were hung on a gate at the entrance to the mosque shortly before morning prayers and a large amount of pig blood was spilled on the ground.

"It is contemptible," the mosque's president, Hajii Mohamed, told AFP. "To attack a religion like this, I don't know what is happening. People lose their heads, especially during Ramadan."

Abdallah Zekri, the chairman of France's Islamophobia Observatory, said Wednesday's outrage occurred against a background of an increase in anti-Muslim actions in the first half of this year.

"For this to occur during the holy month of Ramadan, it's unspeakable," he said. "It is racist provocation."

The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France said it was "outraged by the hateful desecration of the mosque".

The mayor of Montauban denounced what she described as intimidation of Muslims after the heads were discovered in the early morning attached to two pillars at the entrance of the Salam Mosque, a huge pool of blood on the ground. Pigs are considered unclean by Muslims, who are forbidden from eating pork.

Wednesday's incident came hot on the heels of a controversy over the treatment of four young Muslims who were sacked for observing the Ramadan daytime fast while looking after children on a summer camp.

The town council which had dismissed the four instructors reacted to an outcry by announcing that it would no longer enforce a requirement for summer camp workers to eat and drink in the middle of the day.